Process for treating textile fibers

Abstract

A process for continuously dyeing or chemically treating textile staple length fibers having thermoplastic properties while conveying the fibers in a desired path of travel wherein the fibers are impregnated by passage through a liquid dye or chemical applicator and subsequently compressed and advanced in compressed form into and through a confined heating zone for reaction of the dye or chemical with the fibers, and wherein the fibers are preheated prior to their compaction at a temperature below their second order transition point but above the reaction temperature of the dye or other chemical applied thereto to compact and reduce the bulk of the same before their compression and delivery into the confined heating zone.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a process for continuously dyeing or chemically treating textile staple length fibers having thermoplastic properties while conveying the fibers in a desired path of travel and including the steps of impregnating the moving fibers with a desired amount of liquid dye or other chemical, and compressing and advancing the compressed impregnated fibers into and through a confined heating zone for reaction of the dye or chemical therewith; the improvement comprising the step of preheating the fibers to a temperature below their second order transition point and below the reaction temperature of the dye or other chemical applied to the fibers to compact and reduce the bulk of the fibers before their compression and delivery into said confined heating zone. 
     
     
       2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the fibers are impregnated with a liquid dye and are preheated to a temperature of about 160° F. 
     
     
       3. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the fibrous material is gravitationally delivered to the compression zone in the form of a loose fibrous mass, and wherein the fibers are preheated to increase the density of the fibrous mass prior to its delivery into the compression zone. 
     
     
       4. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the loose fibrous materials are impregnated with a desired amount of dye by applying dye to the materials to wet the same and thereafter applying a pressure to the materials to express the dye therefrom to a desired pick-up of dye in the materials, and wherein the step of preheating the fibrous materials occurs prior to applying said pressure to the materials to express dye therefrom. 
     
     
       5. A process as defined in claim 4 wherein the fibrous materials are preheated to compact and reduce the bulk of the same by steam treatment.